Poncho Sánchez (born October 30, 1951) is a Mexican American conguero (conga player), Latin jazz band leader, and salsa singer. In 2000, he and his ensemble won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for their work on the Concord Picante album Latin Soul. Sanchez has performed with artists including Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaría, Hugh Masekela, Clare Fischer, and Tower of Power. The youngest of eleven children, Poncho Sanchez was born in Laredo, Texas and reared in Norwalk, California. Growing up, he was exposed to and influenced by two very different styles of music: Afro-Cuban music (mambo, son, cha-cha, rumba, guaracha, Changui and Son) by greats such as Tito Puente, and bebop jazz, including the works of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

Originally a guitarist, he discovered his talent for singing during an audition for an R&B band, The Halos, that rehearsed across the street from where he lived. Sanchez became the lead vocalist of the group.

HE would later go on to teach himself the flute, drums, and timbales before finally deciding to pursue conga-playing in high school.